Reflecting on Life Then and Now: Interviews on the Life Courses of Older Lesbian Women and Gay Men in Australia

Introduction In Australia, there is a unique cohort of older (aged 60 and over) lesbian women and gay men who reached adolescence from as early as the 1940s up until the 1970s. Many have witnessed numerous social changes regarding the acceptance of lesbian and gay people in general society. Given the uniqueness of this cohort, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the histories of this group and how they perceive their lives today. Methods This paper utilises the Iridescent Life-Course Perspective as a framework and draws on semi-structured interviews from 33 lesbian women and gay men aged 60 years and older residing in Australia to explore their reflections and perspectives on their lives from their younger years to today. Results Participants recounted challenging coming out processes, relationship breakdowns, significant loss due to the HIV/AIDs epidemic, and experiences of discrimination. Despite this, participants on-the-whole expressed gratitude for the opportunity to age where they could reflect on their lives, as well as greater confidence and self-esteem. Conclusions While older lesbian women and gay men experienced severe discrimination in their lives, they also demonstrated a degree of resilience, with many referring to gratitude and contentment in their lives. Policy Implications Knowing the challenges as well as aspects of resilience is important for understanding how older lesbian and gay adults are experiencing life today. This is particularly important for policymakers and service providers in designing support programs that address challenges, build on strengths and seek to be fully inclusive and respectful of the diversity of the past and current life experiences of this population.